AMERICAN LABOUR UNREST.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 111, 10 May 1919, Page 8

AMERICAN LABOUR UNREST.

TENDS TO KEE1 1 UP PRICES.

A trade circular from New York ! dated April 2, forwarded by Brown, Dureau, Ltd., Australian agents of John Dun Son and Co., has the following regarding the outlook:—"Labour disputes continue, and there is little evidence that the labour item of commodity costs , will be lowered to any great extent for some time. The strike of harbour workers at this port remains unsettled, and an important street railway system has only recently ndjusted a strike that brought all trallic to a, standstill for i some days, at a loss in wages and fares . estimated t nearly one million dollars. Carpenters have received an advance of one dollar per day, making the current rate six dollars fifty cents for eight hours' work, and they appear for the moment to be satisfied. Some 500,000 shopmen employed by the railroads now under Government operation have asked for an advance from 08 cents to 85 cents per hour, and will probably receive at least a part of the increase demanded. A rapidly growing tendency to mix labour disputes with polities constitutes a grave menace. This situation has grown out of the necessity of Government control of industry during the war and is one of the resulting difficulties that will only bo removed when Government control is relinquished. Disputes submitted to a political board or to a politically appointed board usually result in a compromise, which suggests nnd encourages other demands. The labour unions know that before such tribunals they have a chance to win with no danger of losing, while it is difficult for employers, especially corporations, to refuse to submit such questions to a board of arbitration legally constituted for that purpose without appearing in a bad light before the public."